Mehar
A Persian name meaning "affection, kindness" or "tender love".
Name Census estimates that about 600 living Americans carry the first name Mehar. It is a predominantly female name (93.2% of registrations). The average person named Mehar today is around 10 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Mehar births was 2022 (50 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Mehar. Below you will find a gender breakdown showing how the name splits between male and female registrations, a year-by-year popularity chart stretching back to 1880, decade-level totals, the top US states for this name, its meaning and etymology, and a set of frequently asked questions with data-backed answers.
People living today
600
~ 1 in 571,257 Americans
Peak year
2022
50 babies that year
Average age
10
years old
2024 SSA rank
#3,611
Tracked since 1998
Gender
Gender distribution for Mehar
Mehar leans heavily female at 93.2% of total registrations, but 41 boys have also been registered with the name over the years, giving it a small but present crossover presence.
Mehar as a male name
- Ranked #13,501 in 2024
- 5 male births in 2024
- Peak: 2016 (9 births)
Mehar as a female name
- Ranked #3,611 in 2024
- 43 female births in 2024
- Peak: 2022 (50 births)
Popularity
Mehar: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Mehar from the 1990s through to the 2020s, spanning 4 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2010s, with 295 total registrations. Although the numbers have come down from the 2010s peak, Mehar remains solidly in use and shows no sign of disappearing from maternity wards.
Babies born per year
Decades
Mehar by decade
The table below breaks the full SSA timeline into ten-year windows. Each row shows how many male and female babies were given the name Mehar during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Mehars live
The SSA's state-level files cover 3 states and territories. California, New York, Washington recorded the most babies named Mehar, while Washington, New York, California recorded the fewest. The average across all reporting states is about 72 registrations each.
Origin
Meaning and history of Mehar
The name Mehar is of Sanskrit origin, derived from the word "meha," which means "cloud" or "mist." It is believed to have first appeared in ancient Hindu scriptures and texts, such as the Vedas and Puranas, where it was used to describe the celestial beings associated with the clouds and rain.
In Hinduism, Mehar is considered an auspicious name, as clouds are seen as a symbol of fertility and abundance. The name was particularly popular among the Brahmin caste in ancient India, who were known for their scholarly pursuits and spiritual practices.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Mehar can be found in the Mahabharata, an ancient Indian epic poem dating back to the 8th century BCE. In the text, Mehar is mentioned as the name of a sage who was revered for his wisdom and knowledge.
Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the name Mehar. One such person was Mehar Chand Mahajan (1911-1982), an Indian jurist and former Chief Justice of India. Another prominent figure was Mehar Singh Brar (1916-1993), an Indian military officer who served as the Chief of Army Staff during the Indo-Pakistani War of 1971.
In the realm of literature, Mehar Bano was a 17th-century Urdu poet and courtesan from the Mughal Empire. Her poetry, which often explored themes of love and spirituality, earned her widespread acclaim during her lifetime.
The name Mehar also holds significance in Sikhism, the youngest of the major world religions. Mehar Mittar (1631-1705) was a renowned Sikh warrior and commander who played a crucial role in defending the Sikh community during the reign of the Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb.
Another notable figure was Mehar Singh Grewal (1922-2007), an Indian politician and former Chief Minister of Punjab. He was known for his efforts in promoting education and agricultural development in the state.
While the name Mehar has ancient roots and a rich cultural heritage, it continues to be a popular choice for parents today, particularly in India and among the Indian diaspora around the world.
People
Mehar + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Mehar as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with M
Other first names starting with M with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Mehar: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Mehar?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 600 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Mehar going back to 1880 and adjusting each cohort for expected survival using CDC actuarial life tables. The result is an age-weighted living-bearer count, not a raw birth total. That works out to about 1 in 571,257 US residents.
Is Mehar a common name?
We classify Mehar as "Very Rare". It ranks above 86.2% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 605 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Mehar most popular?
The single biggest year for Mehar was 2022, when 50 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Mehar is about 10 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Mehar a female name?
Yes, 93.2% of people registered as Mehar in the SSA data are female. You can see the full per-sex comparison in the gender distribution section above, which includes the latest year rank, birth count, and peak year for each sex.
Where does this data come from?
First-name figures come from the Social Security Administration's national baby name files, which cover every name on a birth certificate from 1880 to 2024. Living-bearer estimates layer in CDC actuarial life tables broken out by sex to account for mortality. The population baseline (342,754,338) is the Census Bureau's latest national estimate. You can read the full calculation on our methodology page.